Frontal-lobe cognitive dysfunction in conduct disorder adolescents.
Behavioral similarities between antisocial behavior disorders and frontal-lobe cerebral impairment have led to suggestions that conduct disorders are attributable to disinhibition deficit associated with frontal-lobe cerebral functions. This study compared the performance of 21 conduct disorder adolescents on measures of cognitive processes associated with frontal-lobe functions with that of a matched comparison sample. Conduct disorder adolescents performed more poorly on measures sensitive to frontal-lobe dysfunction (conceptual perseveration, poorly sustained attention, impaired sequencing on memory and motor tasks), but not on non-frontal-lobe specific cognitive measures. Although the findings support a neurobehavioral explanation of antisocial behavior as a product of cerebral disinhibition, caution is urged in overinterpreting causal relationships through neurobehavioral data.
Lueger
R J
RJ
Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI 53233.
Gill
K J
KJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D019965:Neurocognitive Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology